Saturday's letters to the editor

In this cartoon by Andy Marlette, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and a member of the tea party faction of the Republica Party shed some tears as Boehner hoists a white flag of surrender and the conservative in a tri-corner hat puts his 'Don't Tread on Me' flag at half staff. (Gannett, Andy Marlette/Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal)

Republican heroes

Are we approaching an end to democracy in this country? The latest solution to the debt crisis and government shutdown smacks of dictatorship with President Obama calling the shots.

In past history, monarchies and dictatorships have failed uniformly. The reason is simple. The majority of citizens abhor slavery. Are we becoming slaves to big government? Is the Democratic Party slavishly following Obama's construct for America?

History has taught us that the will of the people always triumphed over oligarchy. Hopefully, the people will prevail in these chaotic times. The latest attempt at enslavement will die under its own weight. The 144 Republicans who voted "no" will be seen as heroes in the 2014 midterm elections.

Burt Rubin, Fort Myers

Congress kids

During the '60s, everyone having a cause seemed to rebel, gather, riot, march and protest, violently or peacefully. As a police officer in a very busy city, I took an undergraduate class in social psychology to try to better understand the behavior of street gangs, mobs and protesters; in short, what made them tick.

The professor stressed three things: 1. A juvenile leader fights for his own ambitions and needs, not the group's; 2. No intelligence is applied during a riot or mob scene; 3. To change attitudes or opinions, you should attempt to be friendly first. Based upon these principles, I have concluded that our Congress is being led by juveniles.

Members of Congress will never really begin to legislate until they behave like adults and begin to talk as peers, not adversaries. I think many independents like me feel that you can't run a government based upon self-inflicted crisis to crisis. It is juvenile.

Richard A. Ferreira,

Bonita Springs

Can't trust president

A recently published letter said that Republicans were trying "to force their will down the national throat" by "holding the government hostage."

The irony is that the Democrats shoved Obamacare down the nation's throat in the first place. No Republican legislator voted for it. The president was untruthful when he said that "if you want your health care plan, you can keep it" and when he said that health plan costs would fall by $2,500 per family.

Now he has doubled the nation's debt, has operated without an approved budget for five years, has transformed the nation into one characterized by part-time workers, has watched the labor participation rate fall to the lowest since the 1930s, and has made numerous constitutionally questionable revisions to Obamacare while simultaneously demanding that it be considered settled law.

In 2006, Obama called Bush unpatriotic and irresponsible for striving to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Now, he and his shills monopolize the journalistically bankrupt airwaves labeling Republicans in the vilest of terms.

Republicans cannot trust the president because he will not engage, will not negotiate, will not lead. Instead, he campaigns endlessly as though he has had nothing to do with the nation's ills.

Robert C. Varnum,

Fort Myers

Free for a while

At least for the moment, America is not being held hostage by its Congress.

Harold A. Maio, Fort Myers

The people lost

The standoff is over. The president has won. He held the line. Congratulations. We will now add another thousand billion dollars to the national debt over the next one year. We (that means everybody) are now poorer by one more thousand billion dollars. Those Democrats who view politics as a game (you're for the Bears, I'm for the Packers or similar nonsense) think that their side won. True. Your side won, but you lost.

Richard Patner,

Bonita Springs

Superior change

To paraphrase Joseph N. Welch's remark to Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy at the Army-McCarthy hearings: Let us not assassinate this president further, Republicans. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sirs, at long last?

While in the Senate, Tail-gunner Joe was on a witch hunt, accusing everyone and his brother of being a communist. He ruined the lives and careers of several Americans with his vile lies.

Come now, Republicans such as Cruz, Palin and their hate-filled ilk trying to overthrow the government of the United States with their vile lies.

Barack Obama won two presidential elections. After eight years of Darth Cheney and his puppet, you people should be thanking God for a change in administration. I know I am.

Carol Mills, Cape Coral

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Saturday's letters to the editor

Are we approaching an end to democracy in this country? The latest solution to the debt crisis and government shutdown smacks of dictatorship with President Obama calling the shots.